The time to plan for a potential emergency is before one happens, and for a community’s youngest residents, delivering those lessons in a way that instills confidence is especially important.
Recently, Boerne Firefighter Santiago Anaya made a meaningful impact through his commitment to community education and outreach by leading a fire prevention presentation in Spanish at Fabra Elementary School.
In partnership with Boerne ISD, the effort helped ensure critical fire safety messages were delivered clearly and accessible to all students.
“We know when elementary school-aged students go home they will talk to their parents about their day, so these lessons have the ability to expand far beyond just the kiddos,” Anaya said. “They always ask great questions and enjoy learning about simple safety tips that can be lifesaving.”
Anaya focused on essential life safety topics including smoke alarm awareness, home escape planning, and what to do in an emergency. His bilingual approach helped bridge communication gaps and strengthened understanding of key fire prevention concepts.
In a community where nearly 30 percent of residents identify as Hispanic and nearly one-fifth of households speak a language other than English at home, according to the most recent U.S. Census data, providing these safety lessons is especially important.
“Santiago’s dedication to connecting with the community, especially through inclusive education, reflects the department’s ongoing commitment to reaching every household with potentially life-saving information,” Chief Manny Casarez said.
This program represents one of the many ways the Boerne Fire Department continues to expand its community outreach efforts to ensure every resident has access to critical safety information, regardless of language barriers.
